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Mt. Pleasant to host fifth annual robotics competition





The Mt. Pleasant robotics team is set for the Challenge at The Mount competition set for January 15, 2022.Courtesy photo

The Mt. Pleasant robotics team is set for the Challenge at The Mount competition set for January 15, 2022.Courtesy photo

The Mt. Pleasant robotics team is readying for their Challenge at The Mount competition coming up in January, and Audrey Bryant is excited for the opportunity to prove her team is among the best in Tennessee.

“I’m proud to be a part of a campus full of educators and administrators who actively pursue opportunities for our students to lead and grow, especially through avenues that push them outside of the box,” she said. “Our kids are up for any challenge. I’m excited to see such determination from our team this season.”

Competition robotics allows students to exercise their creativity, along with critical thinking skills through collaboration with other students. The experience also introduces students to the engineering world, which can prove to be a foreshadow of their futures.

“Throughout the season, robotics team members are constantly working to improve their robot and documenting each step along the way, so they truly experience the engineering design process in a very real way,” Bryant said. “We’re excited for our Mt. Pleasant students to have access to another extracurricular option that stretches them beyond what they may think possible, equips them with real-world skills and exposes them to future career possibilities.”

The engineering notebook is a crucial step in the robotics team process, and can land a team in the state tournament.Courtesy Photo

The engineering notebook is a crucial step in the robotics team process, and can land a team in the state tournament.Courtesy Photo

The competition, set for January 15, 2022, will be a state qualifier for VEX Robotics Competitions. VEX competitions require students to design, build and program robots for strategic game play. This season’s game statewide is called “Pitching In” and will require the robots to play the game.

Bryat said the game features teamwork matches throughout the day where two partners will compete in a one-minute driving period of the robot to earn points. The winner of the day’s competition will then move on to the next round, which is the state tournament, held in February.

Bryant said she is excited to see how her team will fare, especially considering their limited experience.

The Mt. Pleasant robotics team is ready for the annual Challenge at The Mount, set for January 15, 2022.Courtesy Photo

The Mt. Pleasant robotics team is ready for the annual Challenge at The Mount, set for January 15, 2022.Courtesy Photo

“ We’ve got a young team with limited combined experience, but they are quick learners and have made so much progress already with the quality of their engineering notebooks and their game strategy,” she said.

The engineering notebooks, coupled with team interviews, will also be judged, and could lead to a spot in the state tournament.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how their robot design evolves throughout the remainder of the season,” Bryant said.

Mt. Pleasant is the only school south of Williamson County to host VEX Robotics competitions, and the event will bring 30 teams from across the state to Mt. Pleasant.

The team is looking for community partners as well for support, which helps fund the program. Money raised through sponsorships are used for the program and tournaments at the school. For monetary donors and sponsors, a banner will be placed in the school during the tournament and will remain on display throughout the year, including during the in-house season held after tournament season ends.

 

 

“I’m also grateful for the support we’ve received over the past few years from other event partners and schools who are active in the VEX Robotics community,” Bryant said. “We can’t grow in isolation, and this is a community that’s competitive, but also extremely inviting and helpful along our journey.”

The donation and sponsorship deadline is Friday, Dec. 10, and for more information please contact Bryant at ajbryant@mauryk12.org.

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